Can clip carrier with glue flaps

Abstract

A carrier for articles such as beverage cans of the type that grip the top portions of the cans so as to suspend them from the carrier. The upper ends of the cans extend through apertures in the bottom panel of the carrier, and the chimes or lips of the cans are engaged by support tabs surrounding the aperture. Glue flaps foldably connected to one of the support tabs at each aperture overlie the upper ends of the cans and are glued to the top panel. An opening in the support tab includes an edge which functions as the support edge. In addition, the bottom panel finger holes have a straight transverse inner edge connected to a cover tab along a score line. Spaced arcuate score lines in the bottom panel cause the intervening segments of the bottom panel to buttress the inner edge.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A package containing a plurality of articles each of which includes an upper portion having an upper surface and an outwardly projecting lip, comprising: a top panel;   a bottom panel spaced from the top panel and connected thereto by side panels;   the bottom panel containing a plurality of apertures through which the upper portions of the articles extend;   a plurality of support tabs foldably connected to the bottom panel adjacent the apertures and extending generally toward the top panel, the support tabs having support edges engaging the lip of an associated article;   one of the support tabs associated with at least one of the apertures being connected to a flap, the flap overlying at least a portion of the upper surface of an associated article; and   said one support tab having an opening therein, the opening including an edge which is the support edge of said one support tab.   
     
     
       2. A package as defined in claim 1, wherein the flap is glued to the top panel. 
     
     
       3. A package as defined in claim 2, wherein the flap is connected to said one support tab by a fold line. 
     
     
       4. A package as defined in claim 2, wherein one of the support tabs associated with each of the apertures is connected to a flap, each flap overlying at least a portion of an associated article. 
     
     
       5. A package as defined in claim 4, wherein each said one support tab is connected to the bottom panel along a fold line extending substantially longitudinally of the package. 
     
     
       6. A package as defined in claim 5, wherein the articles are arranged in two adjacent rows, each row containing a plurality of articles. 
     
     
       7. A package as defined in claim 6, wherein each said one support tab in one row is adjacent to and opposite one of said one support tabs in the other row, the fold line connecting each said one support tab in one row being spaced from and substantially parallel to the fold line connecting an adjacent said one support tab in the other row. 
     
     
       8. A package as defined in claim 7, wherein the support tabs associated with each aperture include a support tab connected to the bottom panel substantially along a fold line connecting the bottom panel to a side panel, the support tabs so connected being located opposite said one support tab of each associated aperture. 
     
     
       9. A package as defined in claim 6, wherein at least the upper portions of the articles are cylindrical. 
     
     
       10. A package as defined in claim 9, wherein the articles are beverage cans. 
     
     
       11. A package as defined in claim 6, including spaced finger holes in the top and bottom panels, the finger holes in the top panel overlying the finger holes in the bottom panel, each bottom panel finger hole having an inner transverse edge and being at least partially covered by a tab connected to the bottom panel by a score line extending along said inner transverse edge, the bottom panel including a second transverse score line located adjacent each of the first transverse score lines, the ends of each second transverse score line extending substantially from the ends of the adjacent inner transverse edge. 
     
     
       12. A package as defined in claim 11, wherein the second transverse lines are arcuate. 
     
     
       13. A package as defined in claim 12, including an additional arcuate score line spaced from and opposite each arcuate second transverse score line, each associated additional score line and second transverse score line being convex with respect to each other. 
     
     
       14. A package as defined in claim 13, wherein each finger hole in the top panel has an inner transverse edge and is at least partially covered by a tab connected to the top panel by a fold line extending along said inner transverse edge, each top panel finger hole tab including an intermediate transverse fold line located so that in use the portion of each top panel finger hole tab between the two fold lines thereof extends between the top and bottom panel and the portion extending outwardly of the intermediate transverse fold line extends beneath the bottom panel and beneath an associated folded-back bottom panel finger hole tab. 
     
     
       15. A blank capable of being formed into a carrier for supporting a plurality of articles each of which has an upper portion including an upper surface and an outwardly projecting lip, comprising: a top panel section;   a bottom panel section;   a first side panel section extending between the top and bottom panel sections and being connected thereto along top and bottom fold lines;   a second side panel section connected to one of the top or bottom panel sections along a fold line;   a flap foldably connected to the second side panel section, the flap being overlapped by and adhered to the other of the top or bottom sections in a carrier formed from the blank;   the bottom panel section containing a plurality of apertures adapted to receive the upper portions of the articles;   a plurality of support tabs foldably connected to the bottom panel section adjacent the apertures and adapted to be folded out of the plane of the bottom panel by articles being moved into position through the apertures, the support tabs having support edges which engage the lips of associated articles in a carrier formed from the blank;   one of the support tabs associated with at least one of the apertures being connected to a flap, the flap extending over a substantial portion of the aperture and overlying at least a portion of the upper surface of an associated article in a carrier formed from the blank; and   said one support tab having an opening therein, the opening including an edge which is the support edge of said one support tab.   
     
     
       16. A blank as defined in claim 15, wherein the flap is connected to said one support tab by a fold line. 
     
     
       17. A blank as defined in claim 16, wherein one of the support tabs associated with each of the apertures is connected to a flap, each flap extending over a substantial portion of the associated aperture. 
     
     
       18. A blank as defined in claim 17, wherein the apertures are arranged in two adjacent rows, each row containing a plurality of apertures, each said one support tab in one row is adjacent to and opposite one of said one support tabs in the other row, the fold line connecting each said one support tab in one row being spaced from and substantially parallel to the fold line connecting an adjacent said one support tab in the other row. 
     
     
       19. A blank as defined in claim 18, wherein the support tabs associated with each aperture include a support tab connected to the bottom panel section substantially along a fold line connecting the bottom panel section to a side panel section, the support tabs so connected being located opposite said one support tab of each associated aperture. 
     
     
       20. A blank as defined in claim 18, including spaced finger holes in the top and bottom panel sections, the finger holes in the top panel section overlying the finger holes in the bottom panel section in a carrier formed from the blank, each bottom panel finger hole having an inner transverse edge and being at least partially covered by a tab connected to the bottom panel section by a score line extending along said inner transverse edge, the bottom panel section including a second transverse score line located adjacent each of the first transverse score lines, the ends of each second transverse score line extending substantially from the ends of the adjacent inner transverse edge. 
     
     
       21. A blank as defined in claim 20, wherein the second transverse lines are arcuate, the bottom panel section including an additional arcuate score line spaced from and opposite each arcuate second transverse score line, each associated additional score line and second transverse score line being convex with respect to each other. 
     
     
       22. A blank as defined in claim 21, wherein each finger hole in the top panel section has an inner transverse edge and is at least partially covered by a tab connected to the top panel by a fold line extending along said inner transverse edge, each top panel finger hole tab including an intermediate transverse fold line located so that in use the portion of each top panel finger hole tab between the two fold lines thereof extends between the top and bottom panel of a carrier formed from the blank and the portion extending outwardly of the intermediate transverse fold line extends beneath the bottom panel and beneath an associated folded-back bottom panel finger hole tab of such a carrier.